The Vail Valley Foundation announced Thursday a significant expansion of its Community Arts Access Program. For many years, the Vail Dance Festival and Vilar Performing Arts Center have worked with local nonprofits and other entities to provide free and significantly discounted tickets. Now, for the first time, the program is expanding to give Eagle River Valley locals the opportunity to apply for free tickets to summer concerts at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail Dance Festival performances and select performances at the Vilar Performing Arts Center.

Locals who live and work full-time in the Eagle River Valley can enter a lottery to win free tickets to Amp Summer Concerts, Vail Dance Festival performances, and select Vilar Performing Arts Center performances.

“We’re thrilled to expand direct access to our performances for the local community,” said Mike Imhof, president of the Vail Valley Foundation. “For years, we’ve seen the incredible impact of the Community Arts Access Program through our nonprofit partnerships, and now we’re able to reach even more families and individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these world-class venues and performances. This expansion of our existing CAA program is our way of ensuring everyone can be part of the magic, regardless of their economic circumstances.”

What’s new

The expanded program offers a minimum of four free tickets for each performance to locals through an online application system on each entities’ website. Winners will be chosen through a randomized lottery:

• Amp Summer Concerts at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater: GRFAVail.com/community-arts-access/
• Vail Dance Festival: VailDance.org/community-arts-access
• Select Vilar Performing Arts Center performances: VilarPAC.org/community-arts- access

Excluded from the program will be the July 4 Patriotic Concert, third party venue rentals, and Bravo! Vail Music Festival performances. To learn about Bravo! Vail’s arts access offerings, visit BravoVail.org.